FGCU Softball opened up the Owl Classic in Boca Raton on Thursday against Boston College, 1-0. Allison Sparkman took the mound for the start, going 5.1 innings, striking out five, and giving up no earned runs. Sparkman also showed defensive guile in the top of the fifth when she snagged a liner to start a double play to end the inning.

The Green and Blue had faced BC in two low scoring affairs in the FGCU Kickoff Classic and this was no different. The combination of Sparkman and Angelina Bonilla kept Boston College off the board. Bonilla came in to record her fourth save of the season, going 1.2 innings of perfect softball.

Speed, and causing chaos on the base paths, have long been the FGCU softball recipe for success as two singles through the left side by Nikki Gibson and Riley Oakes got the offense going in the fourth. Meagan Ricks moved them over with only one out on the board. Neely Peterson put the ball in play, allowing Gibson to score the game's only run.

FGCU managed to get a player on every base in the bottom of the fifth when Oakes put good contact on a ball that happened to go right to the center fielder ending the threat. However, the one run was enough for the Green and Blue victory.

Up next is two games on Friday against Columbia at 12:30 p.m. and FAU at 5:30 p.m.   Read Full Article